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No. 788,890. 7 v PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

P. DUFFY.

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PETER DUFFY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PlANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,890, datedSeptember 15, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that 1, PETER DUFFY, of'New York, in the county of NewYork, State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pianos, of which the followingisacompletespecification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in pianos.

In the manufacture of pianos, and particularly of the back portionthereof, it is necessary that provision be made for securely supportingthe strain exerted by the strings. It is also desirable that the backstructure be of such nature as will afford means for securing an openpure tone by permitting free vibration of the soundingboard.

In employing the term back I intend to include the structures of bothgrand or horizontal pianos as Well as uprights.

The object of my invention is to produce a back structure which, whilesecurely and positively resisting the strain exerted by the strings andpermitting free vibration of the sounding-board,'thus securing thenecessary purity of tone, will be simple, compact, and of comparativelylight weight. It will be apparent that the reduction of weight in apiano means that the expense of transportation will be lessenedproportionately; but it should also be borne in mind that care andextreme skill must be exercised in the production of a piano-back inorder that as the weight is,

lessened the efficiency of the structure be not impaired.

Other objects of my invention will be more fully explained in thefollowing specification and succinctly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a front elevation of apiano-back detached with sounding-board and string-plate in place, someof the strings being shown adjusted. Fig. II is an end elevation of thesubject-matter of Fig. I, illustrating a preferred form of structurewithin the scope of my invention. Fig. III is a top plan view of thesubject-matter of Fig. I, illustrating a preferred means for insuringmaximum rigidity of the back with minimum weight.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates metal uprights,preferably made block 10, which is firmly secu red to the an gle-f 'jo 5iron 5 and to the uprights 1. Upon the inner face of the angle-iron5that is, upon the face opposite that to which the wrest-block issecured-I provide a plank 12,which is preferably beveled, as indicatedat 13. The angleiron 6 is located at the base of the uprights 1 and alsosupports a beveled plank 14, simi* lar to the plank 12. The planks 12and 1 L are designed to support the sounding-board 15, the beveled facesof the planks being provided in order that while the sounding-board issecurely held in position yet its vibratory length is greater than if itmade contact with the entire face of the rabbet-planks.

16- and 17 indicate boards which are secured to the uprights lin orderto facilitate packmg.

18 indicates the ordinary metal string-plate, which being of unusualform does not require description in detail and which may be se-' curedto the piano-back in any suitable or preferred manner.

20 indicates tuning-pins embedded in the wrest-block 10. i

In assembling the parts of my device I prefer to employ four uprights 1.This is important, inasmuch as addition to the number of uprights 1increases the weight of the back, and I have found in practice that inuse of my back by reason of its general construction four uprightsafiord a rigid support for the remaining parts of the device.

It will be apparent that with the four uprights affording a rigidsupport for the remaining structure the employment of the angle-irons 5and 6, supporting as they do the wrest-block and sounding-board insecure position and being attached to the uprights 1, the main structureof the back is of metal,

but is so arranged that the Whole structure is of very light weight. Theuse of but four uprights, which is my preferred number in use, permitsof the largest amount of open space behind the sounding-board, and thustends to render available the greatest openness of sound, the openspaces of course being designed to do away with any avoidable mufflingof the vibratory waves from the sounding-board.

Inasmuch as the wrest-block is supported in use by practically acomplete structure of metal, the tendency thereof to sag beneath thestrain of the strings is counteracted and the piano is adapted to standin tune longer than in ordinary forms of back structure. Thestring-plate is also securely supported.

By the substitution of the metal uprights for wooden onesnow in use thereduced number of uprights necessary in my construction not only tend toreduce Weight, but also avoid that principal evil to which pianos aresubjectednamely, that of moisture, which of course has the effect ofwarping any wood which can be practically used in pianos with out regardto the degree of seasoning which the wood may have had.

What I claim isl. A piano-back, comprising the combination with uprightsand angle-irons secured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate withthem in supporting the strain of the strings,

and means for operatively securing to said structure the strings of theinstrument.

2. A piano-back comprising the combination with uprights havingsubstantially in cross-section the shape described, and angle ironssecured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate therewith in supportingthe strain of the strings, and means for operatively securing to saidstructure the strings of the instrument.

3. A piano-back comprising the combination with uprights, of angle-ironssecured to the uprights and adapted to cooperate therewith in supportingthe strain of the strings, and means, supported by the angle-irons,adapted to insure maximum vibration of the sounding-board.

4. The combination with metal uprights, and angle-irons secured thereto,the angleirons being adapted to support the soundingboard andwrest-block, of planks secured to the angle-irons and adapted to insuremaximum vibration of the sounding-board, all united substantially in themanner-and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

PETER DUFFY.

Witnesses:

J. T. MONTGOMERY, L. N. NARBOURG.

